Free Hong Kong

Stephen

Banned
What if a few years before the handover. Britain installed a democratic government in Hong Kong and granted them full independence so that it was no longer theres to give back to the Empire of China. Or what if they said hey theres no longer an Empire of China to give it back to as that country was taken over by the PRC so instead keep it or find a decendent of the last Dynasaty to hand it back to in order to fulfil the deal.
 
It really does'nt matter that it's the PRC since the PRC is the successor state to the Chinese Empire.

Now, as for granting them independence, I don't know, if the Hong Kongers were more against it and refused to accept rejoining mainland China, maybe.
 
Assuming the people of Hong Kong want to be independent... Well, I don't think it'd matter much. China would take back the territory and if England decided to fight it out, it'd be an awkward war for everyone.
 

glowjack

Banned
its kinda odd that the british ruled hong kong under a totaltarian government for 9 decades but when it had to hand it back to china the british made hong kong a democracy beacuse they were good people and not just because they were handing it back to china.
Besides the reason hong kong was prosperous was because of the fact taht a good portion of china's trade wen tthrough hong kong so angering the red dragon is not really smart, especially considering the worst case scenario where hong kong does not have a military and china controls its water source
 
What if a few years before the handover. Britain installed a democratic government in Hong Kong and granted them full independence so that it was no longer theres to give back to the Empire of China. Or what if they said hey theres no longer an Empire of China to give it back to as that country was taken over by the PRC so instead keep it or find a decendent of the last Dynasaty to hand it back to in order to fulfil the deal.

hongkong can get the rest of guangdong....
 
The lease on the New Territories would've expired in 1997 no matter what Britain did. Hong Kong would just not be the same with PLA tanks down to Boundary St.
 
The easiest way is for the British to have grabbed the New Territories for a perpetual lease. This would change practically nothing in world history, but would result in the UK retaining Hong Kong.

Alternatively you could have the Republic of China stay recognized as the legitimate government of China (harder, since the Brits recognized the ChiComs rather early) and then the British could plausibly hand over HK to the ROC instead.

But HK becoming a free city? That's tough.
 
No matter how it is done, the Chinese government can suddenly shutdown Hong Kong by turning off the water and electricity supply, like it did in 1968. Furthermore, the PLA can also jam radio and television signals. In both cases, resistance collapses...
 
The UK. did not have to give up the Island of Hong Kong since that was not part of the lease. The new territories on the mainland and some 200 small islands were part of the lease.

HongKongmap.jpg
 
The UK. did not have to give up the Island of Hong Kong since that was not part of the lease. The new territories on the mainland and some 200 small islands were part of the lease.

HongKongmap.jpg

I'm perfectly aware of that. Are you aware that the New Territories were far more populated in 1997 than they were 99 years earlier and that Hong Kong could simply not do without them?
 
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